Advertising and marketing requires a certain amount of shiftiness, because it's all geared to hack your brain into buying something you don't need. But disturbingly often, companies go past persuasion and into overt sketchiness, in their quest to relieve you of your money.

We asked readers to hold their noses and take a deep dive into the more troubling techniques marketing professionals use when they're planning commercials and other promotions. Brace yourself for a truly disheartening glimpse into corporate greed.